Today we headed back to the Batay to administer parasite medications to the children and adults. The volunteers at the ILAC center are constantly working on filters for the water, but the Batay’s water source still contains lead and parasites. The above is a picture of an ILAC volunteer educating the Batay people on water filters. The water filters are placed in large 5 galloon buckets. Chemical engineers continue to develop filters that are cheap and effective in purifying the water.
The medication is administered 2 weeks apart. We administered the first dose and the second group of PT students will return the last week for the final dose. The above picture of one of the schools we went to in order to give the children the medication. The school is a simple building consisting of cement floors and desks. The tin roof makes the inside of the school approximately 85 degrees. The children are excited to receive the medication although it’s a disgusting white paste. Isn’t it funny, no matter where children are in the world they want more of everything!! We had to mark the children because children will come back for more medication!!
The ILAC center has also organized fundraising projects for the woman of the Batay. For example this particular Batay makes candles (picture above) to sell and other’s make coconut jewelry. The money raised from these projects goes to the woman and children of the Batay for milk and other pre/post natal care.
The kids of the Batay are so cute and you just want to take them all home –soooooooooooooooooooo– Look mom, I put one in a box and shipped him home, he should arrive soon!!
Other activities while we were at the Batay included treating patients. Here is a picture of a man who 7 years ago “fell” in the rice fields and every since has had difficulty with functional activities. The man presents text book s/p stroke, so we are guessing that the stroked caused the fall. The man can walk with MinA but mostly lays in bed or sits in a chair all day b/c his family members are busy cleaning, cooking, and working in the fields. We had given him a walker and some Neosporin for some open skin lesions he had. We also gave his wife a gait belt so she can protect herself when transferring him.
Above: Some more kids!
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